Forty or fifty men dropped over the _Merry Maid's_ side, cutlass in mouth, and rushed along the galley's deck, hewing down all who ventured to oppose them and sparing only the slaves, who made no resistance.

At last, and merely by the weight of numbers, they were driven back.

But this did the Frenchmen no good.

Instantly the frigate opened fire again and murdered them by scores.
It was in this extremity that M.de la Pailletine cast his eyes around and found himself forced to do what Captain Barker from the first had meant him to do.

The four galleys that had started after the convoy were by this time sweeping along on the full tide of success.